No one's got time to read in-depth reviews of everything. '100 Word Reviews' is here so you can know just enough about everything to make an informed decision.
You'll find that all the reviews at '100 Word Reviews' are 100% accurate - on word count, that is - actual opinions may vary.
If you've got anything to say, or something you want me to review, just drop me a line at 100wordreviews.net@gmail.com
Sitting somewhere in and around the sc-fi, crime, mystery, and adventure camps, ‘Dollhouse’, whilst not being up with Joss Whedon’s best, is certainly worth watching. With a premise built around the separation of the body and the mind, the versatility of the actors is put to the test, and in most cases, (including in impressive surprise performance from Miracle Laurie) shines. As per other Whedon series, it’s the ensemble cast that makes the show, with both main and supporting characters quite endearing. Also, against the odds, the show’s been booked for a second season, with Summer Glau joining the cast.
From the fitout, you could be sitting in any monochrome kitchen from the early nineties. The service, however, is very different and reminiscent of Hawkers Café, with staff laying down patter and joking around as they served. The menu is extensive and relatively easy to get your head around, but not being too familiar with Malaysian food, some of the dishes were not quite what I was expecting, and seemed dense, dry and very heavily flavoured. Great vegetarian laksa, though, with tender tofu absorbing the creamy broth around it. Overall, definitely worth a visit if Malaysian is what you’re after.
It’s the pixelpocalypse; and, armed with just a snazzy suit, it’s time to run. There are other simple and addictive games out there, but with only one button, it really doesn’t get any simpler (or more addictive) than this. Created for a game development competition with the theme, ‘minimalism’; Canabalt succeeds where ‘Jumper’ failed, and draws you into a story without revealing any background plot details. You’ll never know whether you’re an undercover agent in a secret resistance, or whether you’re simply a guy who wants to get home from work. All you know, is that you need to run.
Living in Fitzroy, it’s easy to forget that cafés like this exist can outside of Brunswick St. But exist, they do. And they serve some very nice food in a very relaxed manner as well. Sitting in private school central on Glenferrie Rd, the mis-matched chairs and indie-rock concert posters on the wall seem somewhat out of place, but a breakfast with this much bacon (or smoked salmon, if that’s your thing) can help you fit in anywhere. The service is great, with a touch of aloofness on par with Atomica, and they’ve almost got the coffees to match, too.
It might not be art, but some of the visualisations that Wordle creates certainly are interesting to look at. Wordle works by creating a word cloud based off a text input. The more often a word appears, the larger it is in the cloud. The image on the left is a section of the one for the 100 Word Reviews archive, but you can see others I’ve created from Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’ and the King James version of the Bible. Wordle’s not going to change your life, but it’ll give you something to look at and think about for a while.
There’s certainly an audience for Undertaker Dining Room out there, but I’m not sure who it is. They’d need to be the kind of person who’s willing to be served by an emotionless robot, sit in an eclectically decorated dining room, and pay in the high-$30s for an overly complex meal that is quite good – but not as good as you’d expect for the price. It is pleasant, though, and I had a very nice night, but that had much more to do with the event and the company than the venue. So I’d recommend downstairs at Undertaker Social, instead.
It still manages to surprise me to go to a bar in the city where you can sit around comfortably, and have a conversation without shouting. I guess that’s what happens when your bar becomes a test case for the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal over noise levels. Misty’s got a great drinks menu on offer, with a huge variety of beers, an extensive cocktail list, and a selection of wines, both domestic and international. The décor works on two levels, as well, with the worn stools providing both comfort and proof of the decades long popularity of this place.
Everyone likes a solid feed for under $10, and that’s what you’ll find at Spicy Noodle Café on LaTrobe St. You order based off pictures on the wall, and while they do provide a limited form of table service, your raffle ticket number is what gets you your meal. The food, like the service, is more focussed on speed and size than flavour; so while you will get back to your desk in time to file your TPS report, you’ll have a full stomach rather than a restaurant to recommend. If you do want a recommendation, go to Oriental Spoon.
The ‘Broken Lizard’ boys had to start somewhere, and that place is ‘Puddle Cruiser’. While not quite at the standard that its younger brother, ‘Super Troopers’, achieved, it’s still a very funny movie. It centres on the budding relationship between Felix and Suzanne, yet the main source of laughs comes from the judicial process surrounding Kevin Heffernan and Paul Soter’s characters, after they’re caught breaking into the college cafeteria. Also, keep an eye out for Erik Stolhanske’s Freaky Reaky, as the perfect example of a man who came to university with his own style, and decided to stick with it.
If an extensive menu and a quick meal is what you want, then you could do a lot worse than Groove Train. If you’re looking for quality food, pleasant service, and a nice atmosphere, then try somewhere else. The food is satisfying in the same way that watching a Seinfeld re-run is – it’s reasonably pleasant while you’re watching it, but as soon as you’ve finished, you’ve already forgotten what it was about. The set-up in Melbourne Central doesn’t help the atmosphere, either. They’ve got tables for at least 200 covers, but I’ve never seen it more than about 10% full.
